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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. cell — a phone
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. cell — in biology
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. hand — help
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bear — the animal
  18. key — in music
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. hand — in cards
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — to drill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com